Cigar lighter



P. E. ASHTON 2,667,562

CIGAR LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 26, 1954 original Filed July 25,194e l, l I INVENTOR. f fief/UP fW/*a/V V./ 'I -BY f4:

l 'l'.l L l NM www Jan. 26, 1954 P, ASHTON 2,667,562

CIGAR LIGHTER Original Filed July 25, 1946 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III III

IN VEN TOR. Pew/P f /45/7/70/1/ AWWA/5y Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITEDSTATES ENT vOFFICE CIGAR LIGHTER Philip E. Ashton, Meriden, Conn.,assigner to The Cuno Engineering Corporation, Meriden, Conn., acorporation of Connecticut 7 Claims. (Cl. 219-32) My invention relatesto what are commonly termed cordless electric lighters for cigars,cigarettes and pipes and of the type suitable for installation in motorvehicles. They may be used however anywhere.

The main object is to provide a small, reliable lighter plug which canbe made economically according to ordinary shop practice andinterchangeably used in sockets which will also be of factoryproduction. In other words, the plugs and sockets need not be matchedbut any plug will fit any socket of a lot for which it is designed.

One object is to make as much of the device as possible of metal and yetprovide a quick starting lighter which will have long life and will notbecome overheated.

Another object is to avoid the use of parts made of molded insulationsuch as thermosettins' resins which, if overheated by careless handlingof the lighter, may be distorted, swell or blister causing the plug tobind in the socket and rendering the lighter useless. Such distortionoccasionally locks the plug in closed circuit position with veryundesirable results.

A further object is to provide a cigar lighter plug having substantiallyall of the parts made of stampings which when produced in bulk byordinary commercial processes are more precise as to dimensions and lesscostly than similarly functioning parts produced by molding phenolicresins or by automatic lathes. I

A further object is to provide a lighter plug of pleasing appearance,excellent functional properties and low cost when produced in largequantities which frequently involve several hundred thousand lightersper year in commercial practice. The majority of automobiles nowproduced are fitted with cigar lighters as standard equipment. Thisoffers the manufacturersl of cigar lighters a very large, but cost andquality conscious market. The difference of as little as one cent perunit between competing makes may result in the gain or loss of orderstotaling many thousands of dollars. In the past, the use of lightercomponents produced by molding phenolic resins and of componentsproduced on automatic machines known as screw machines? has beencommonly accepted practice. The total production of' such parts has runinto many millions the last decade. The cost of parts of the currenttype of lighter plugs is quite high as compared with parts of broadlysimilar functions made from sheet metal and sheet insulation.

I have, therefore, devised a construction which employs componentssuitable for high produc- Lif) tion at low cost by simple stamping ordrawing press operations and which construction by the suitabledisposition of air gaps, small contacting conductive areas, reflectivesurfaces and simple insulating washers to arrest or retard heat flow tothe knob are useful and acceptable for general use.

I have further improved over commercial constructions of the prior artby eliminating screw threads except for mounting the knob. The knob isusually supplied in shape and material to match the other control knobsof the automobile on which the lighter is to be used and which varywidely between different makes of cars and different models of the samemaker.

The preferred form constitutes improvements over that of United StatesLetters Patent 1,980,- 157 and 2,338,565.

Fig. 1 is an aligned sectional view of a socket and one form of plug ofmy inventionon an enlarged scale and showing how such a socket may bemounted.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the plug of Fig. 1 with a knob on a smallerscale.

Fig. 3 is a rear end view of the plug of Fig. 1 without the knob, partof the shell being broken away. Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the partsof the plug of Fig. l on a somewhat smaller scale. parts being shown insection.

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views on the planes of the lines 5--5and 6--6, respectively. of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the plunger part of the plug of Fig. 1.

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail face views of'insulating washers of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a side View and section of guiding washers such as shown inFigs. l, 3, 4, 8 and 9, with a screw stud for receiving a knob.

in Fig. l, I have shown a sectional view of one form of plug madeaccording to the invention and mounted in a type of socket assembly withwhich the plug may be used. Such a socket is generally used onautomobiles and is attached to the instrument panel 9. The socket lopasses through a hole in the instrument panel and is pressed against itby nut I0' and shell l2. Nut le is threaded on sleeve Il to which isattached washer I2. The above parts are incorporated into the groundside of the electric system of the automobile of Which socket I0 becomesone terminal.

Central terminal stud I3 carries suitable contacts such as bimetal latchcontacts I4 and secondary spider contacts l5 which are insulated andsupported by sleeve I3 and washer I5. These contacts I4 and I5 form thelive terminals of the socket as stud I3 is connected to the ungroundedside of the electric system of the automobile. 'Ihe side wall of thesocket usually has one or more spring fingers I8 biased inwardly toengage some part of the plug and serve as spring loaded ground contacts.It should be understood that, while bimetal latch contacts are shown,they are not essential as the secondary contacts I will suffice toengage cup 28 and close the circuit.

The plug has two main assemblies, i. e. the shell I2 and the plungerelement. The shell is the part which is normally supported andstationary in the socket and the plunger element has the igniter unitand the knob orhandlewhich is mounted to move the plunger element withinopening of flange 23. When the rear end of ring 22 is staked over atseveral points such as 2E, the parts are secured in accuraterelationship with only small areas in contact with each other and `witha continuous air gap between ring 22 and flange 23. The seemingly minormatter of maintaining only small contiguous areas is important as thetransmission of heat from the igniter unit to the rear rim ofthe shell2|), which may be cont'acted by the ngers of a user of the lighter, isthereby minimized.

The igniter unit, generally of conventional form, may have any suitableresistance coil 2i having one end secured to the cup 28, which serves asthe plugs live terminal, and the other endr secured to the groundedcentral stud 29 which is electrically and mechanically connected to theplunger tube 30. The cup 23 is insulated fromthe stud 29 and from washer29 by mica or equivalent washers, such as 28. The units is noteworthy inthat it has only two small perforations 281:, used to align the partsduring assembly,

instead of the conventional six or thereabouts,

relatively large perforations. The rear Washer 29 is made of brightstainless steel or other similar material. I have found that thisconstruction with minimum perforations anda backing having brightreflective surfaces materially aids in retarding the flow of heat totheA rear of the plug.

- The igniter stud 29 is secured to the plunger sleeveor tube 30for'inst'anceby being frictionally driven into and held by a metalwasher3| in the bottom of the tube 3o. This tube 35 at its end 30' is smallerin diameter than the passage in the tube 32 and has outwardly extendingribs 33 which are an accurate sliding fit in the guide tube 32 which isintegral with disc 2| and concentric with ring 22. These ribs, however,only engage guide tube 32 when the plunger is in the forward or circuitclosed position when contact between the ribs and the guide tube formspart of the grounded side of the circuit. The basic diameter of the tube30 is appreciably smaller than the inside diameter of the guide tube 32and the difference between these diameters affords an annular air gap3U" which offers resistance t0 the flow of heat from the igniter unitthrough 4 tube to disc 2| after the circuit has been broken and theheated igniter is available for use.

The rear end of the tube 30 is flared outwardly and firmly secured totwo insulating discs or Washers 34 and 35 which are guided in the shell2D. The flared rear endA of tube 30. has three arcuate anges 36 which ntand arevcrimped over the edges 34 of the notches of washer 34. Thecircumferential surface of the major diameter portions of washer 34 isproportioned to slide freely on and be guided by the interior surfacesof ribs 38 of shell 2li. Insulating locking disc Washer 35. has, threeoutwardly extending arms with grooves or notches 31 which straddle andare guided by the radial faces of ribs 38 within the shell 20. Theeffective diameter of washer at the bottomsof the notches 3l is slightlyless than the major diameter of washer 34 and contact between washer 35and shell 2i? is only on the radial faces 31A of the notches 31. Theangular extension between the arms of washer 35 is greater than theangular extension of arcuate flanges 36' of the tube 30 and theeffective diameter of washer 35 at the edges 35. is smaller than that ofthe crimped-over edges of arcuate flanges 36 so that there is. no directcontact between washer 35 and tube 30. This arrangement aids effectivelyin minimizing the transmission of heat from tube 3|) to shell 201 and tothe knob mounting means. l

This arrangementV comprises a bushing 40 (Fig. l)v or a stud 46 (Fig.10) which securely connects washers 34 and 35 together at the center.Washer 35 is substantially thicker than the metal of flanges 36 of tube30 which are crimped over washer 34 so that there is no possibilityofdirect contact between the base of a knob such as 42 and tube 3U. Ifdesired another washer` 42', which is intended primarily as an`ornamental or trim medium, may be used to engage the base of the knoband provide an air gap 42:1.` as afin.- ther heat barrier. Due to` theinterlock between washer 35 and ribs 3B of shell 20 therecan be norelative rotation. This facilitates tightening. aknob on its threadedsupport while holding the outer shell. 20 by anyI suitable means. g

A spring 43 is interposed betweenthe disc 2li and the outer end .of thetubular plunger` 3U. with an insulating washer 44 preferably between thespring and the` tube. Theshell 20, has an inwardly curled flange 45whichr serves tolim'it the incursion of the plug into. the socket andalso serves` as an outer abutment for theouter edges of washers 35.Spring fingersY 46 serve to frictionally hold the plug inthe socket.

Inthe form shown in Fig. 1, it is understood that the edge of the disc2| engages the spring.

Whenheated to the predetermined degreethe.`

latches I4 will release the igniter cup, break the circuit and thespring 43 will retractthe plunger ready to permit the plug toy bewithdrawnfand used.

From the foregoing description. it will be seen that by the carefulemployment of air gaps.

restriction of the. areas of contacting` surfaces and the use of simpleflat insulating washers,`

the transmission of heat from the heating, element to the shell and knobis effectively blocked although metallic materials form the major. .constructional media.. Y

The device may be easily inserted and actuated. It will not overheateven though repeatedly used. The plug will not jump o-ut of the socketwhen released by the latches and it may be held in for reheating ifdesired.

According to Fig. l, the contact ange 2l is carried by the stationarypart of the outer shell.

The igniter cup and the contact rim will serve to close the circuitbycontact either simultaneously or sequentially depending upon theirpositions relative to the contacts in the stationary socket with whichthe plug is used and similarly the circuit will be broken simultaneouslyat both contacts or at either one depending upon the design of thesocket and plug.

The invention requires a minimum cost and aiords a maximum ofsimplicity, strength, long life, and reliability.

The method of supportingV and guiding the plunger and igniter as shownand described permits the use of knobs which require either bushings orstuds for their connection by the simple substitution of the supportingand guiding washers With the necessary bushing or stud.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial Number686,188, iiled July 25, 1946, now Patent 2,531,901.

I cIaim:

1. An electric lighter plug comprising a shell formed of two parts, anouter part being cylindrical for sliding in a socket and having aninturned ilange at its front end, the other part of the shell having anend disc, a ring carrying insulating washers on opposite sides oi theinturned flange and also having a tubular guide portion, the rim of saiddisc constituting the sion spring surrounding said plunger membercomprising a body of tubular form slidable in the tubular guide portionof the shell and having an outwardly ilaring portion, an insulating discsecured in the latter portion and guiding the plunger in the outer shellpart, a compression spring surrounding said plunger member between saiddiscs, knob mounting means secured in said insulating disc and anigniter element secured at one end of the tubular body portion of theplunger.

2. An electric lighter plug comprising a shell member formed of twoparts, one part being cylindrical for sliding in a socket and having acurled edge at its rear end and an inturned flange at its front end, theother part of the shell member having an end disc with a rimconstituting the outer contact of the plug, a ring carrying insulatingwashers on opposite sides of the inturned flange and a tubular guideportion, a plunger member comprising a body of tubular form slidable insaid tubular guide portion and having an outwardly flaring portion atits rear end, an insulating disc secured in the latter portion forguiding the plunger vin the cylindrical shell, an insulating lockingdisc carried by the plunger and having a non-rotative sliding connectionin the shell, knob mounting means secured in said insulating disc, anigniter element secured at the front end of the tubular body portion ofthe plunger, and a compression spring enclosed within the shell memberaround the plunger member between a contact disc and the rear end of theplunger member.

3. An electric lighter plug comprising a shell formed of two parts, anouter ribbed part being cylindrical for sliding in a socket and having acurled edge at one end forming an abutment and an inturned iiange at theother end, the other part of the shell comprising an'end disc having aring carrying insulating washers on opposite sides of the inturnedflange and also having a tubular guide portion, a plunger membercomprising a body of tubular form slidable in the tubular guide portion,insulating means secured to said body and guiding the plunger in theouter shell and having a non-rotatable sliding connection on the ribs ofthe outer shell part, a bushing secured in said insulating means, anigniter element secured at one end of the tubular body portion oi theplunger and a spring interposed between said disc and said insulatingmeans for retracting said plunger, said insulating guiding meansabutting against said curled edge when retracted.

4. An electric lighter plug comprising a shell formed of two parts, anouter part being cylindrical'for sliding in a socket and having acurledabutment edge at one end and an inturned flange at the other end, theother part of the shell having an end disc, a ring carrying insulatingWashers on opposite sides of the inturned ange and a tubular guideportion, a plunger member comprising a one-piece body of tubular formhaving longitudinal ribs slidable in the tubular guide portion, aninsulating disc secured to said body and guiding the plunger in theouter shell, an insulating locking disc having notches formed in itsperiphery, said shell having means interlocking with said notches toprovide a non-rotative sliding connection in the shell, an igniterelement secured in the end of the tubular body portion of the plungerand a spring interposed between said ring and said insulating disc forretracting said plunger.

5. An electric cigar lighter plug comprising a metallic shell formed intwo parts, the outer part thereof being substantially cylindrical forsilding in a socket and having a curled abutment at its outer end and aninturned flange at its inner end, said outer part further being formedwith substantially longitudinally extending internal ribs, the innerpart thereof comprising an end disc and a ring integral with said enddisc and carrying an insulating washer secured on each side of saidinturned fiange, said inner part further comprising a tubular guideportion integral with said end disc and concentric with said ring, saidplug further comprising a metallic plunger member, said plunger membercomprising a one-piece body of tubular form, said body comprisingexternal substantially longitudinally extending ribs slidably engagingsaid guide portion, said body further comprising insulating disc meansnon-rotatably secured thereto at the outer end thereof, said disc meanscomprising circumferential surfaces slidably engaging said ribs of saidouter part, said disc means further comprising portions formed withgrooves, said ribs of said outer part further seating in said grooves toprovide for slidable non-rotatable movement of said plunger in saidshell, said plunger further comprising an igniter element secured to theinner end of said body and a spring interposed between said ring andsaid insulating disc means and urging said plunger member toward saidcurled abutment.

6. In a lighter plug according to claim 5, said insulating disc meanscomprising two discs rmly secured together, one of said discs being rmlysecured to said plunger body and comprising cir.- cumferential surfacesslidably guided in said internal ribs of said shell, the other disccomprising substantially radial surfaces slidably and non- @homos 7fmtatably ,guided on said internal fribs, said other ldisc heineotherwise Ain spaced relation to said :metallic shell.

Tl. 4A metallicplug for a cordless electric cigar lighter having a:substantially cylindrical elec Vltgri c a11y Qonductive v socketconnected to ground, foolnprising, in combination afsubstantiallyzcylinf.driea'l vmetal shell formed with internal, Vsubstantially longitudinalribs. said `shell having c onfnected tothe frontlendtheneof 'la metaldisc, said disc having two concentric `tubular :portions integ'raltherewith, one of said tubular portions carrying twoinsvulating washers,saidshell hay- :ing a flange `extending :between `said two washers, itheother vof isaid tubular portions constituting a guide tube, a plungertube having a reducedfor mand portion located within said guide tube andindiani/.spaced therefrom in 'open circuiteposition, Baidmllmgertubefurther comprising externalribs fslidingly guided `ih said guide tube in:closed cit- -cuit position, vs ad V plunger :tube having at pits rearend insulating :washer means 4iii'mly connected thereto, said -rshellhaving 4at .its outer end an in.-

E. A SHTQN. A'Refercences Cited in #the le of this patent -S'IA'IIESPATENTS

